"While Robert Gibbs is saying 'stay tuned' about Washington insiders obstructing a free election in New York state," Goldin told The Associated Press, "Harold Ford is focused on independent leadership ... not what party bosses want to dictate."

Ford, a centrist Democrat who had been known as conservative-leaning on many issues, sought to use the New York Post piece to defend what some have called recent flip flops designed to please a more liberal New York voters, including abortion rights and gay marriage.

Ford insists in the piece that he is "pro-choice" and that "any assertions to the contrary are false."

He described his position this way in 2006: "I believe life is the best choice, and that it should be the goal of policy makers to reduce abortions."

Ford also wrote in the Post that he has always supported civil unions, and after consideration has come to support gay marriage.

As a congressman he consistently voted in favor of amending the Constitution to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

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